Safety-lock for switch-stands.



R. P. JACOB. SAFETY LOCK FOR SWITCH STANDS.

APPLICATION FILED 811F130, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

M G How 1 2 1 UNITED STATES rAnnT RICHARD FELDER JACOB, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO BURKE B. HOLLOMON, OF SELMA, ALABAMA, ONE-SIXTH TO 0. A. WIOKERSHAM, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND ONE-SIXTH TO O. T. NELSON, AND ONE-SIXTH TO A. MORITZ, OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR SWITCH-STANDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD FELDnn J ACOB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Locks for Switch-Stands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention consists in a safety lock for switch stands, of any kind whatsoever, and constitutes an improvement over the lock claimed in the prior patent No. 865,904,

dated September 10, 1907.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety lock for switch stands which shall be simple and certain in operation, not liable to freeze in cold climates, will be easy to manufacture, one which with slight alterations may be put on or detached to those switch stands that are now in use, and which will prevent the key from falling out when the semaphore is unlocked.

To these ends the invention consists in the lock, and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figures 1 and 1 represent elevational views of a switch stand provided with the improved safety lock. Fig. 2 is a view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, showing the device in locked position on the lever. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the lever looking from the inside outward, showing how the lock is attached to the lever, and also the lug on the stand in section. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the lug attached to the stand. Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the lock detached, with its cover removed and showing the bolt engaging the lug on the stand. Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views.

A represents the body of the switch stand, B its base, C the semaphore rod belonging to the said stand, and D a lever or other suitable controlling device for the semaphore, which is adapted to be locked to the stand A. In carrying out the invention, there is provided a recess L on the lever, or other Patented May 11, 1909.

Serial No. 455,540.

suitable lock holding device, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which is adapted to receive a lock E, of any suitable and approved construction, and to protect the same from water, as will appear more fully below. Said. lock is provided with a key G. This key, of course, may be of any kind whatsoever approved by the road, and the proper employees are provided with the usual du plicates.

On the standv A, there is the usual lug a, which may be integrally cast with the body A of the stand, or otherwise secured thereto and it is provided with a notch 0/, or other suitable means, by which the bolt E of the lock E may engage the same. The said lock is provided with any suitable device, in this instance shown as a bolt E adapted to engage the notch a, and integrally attached to said bolt, or otherwise permanently fastened thereto, is the extension E provided with a notch E and which has a lug provided with the edge e and flat top a, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The edge e is so spaced with reference to the upper edge e of the key hole, that it lies sli htly above the latter when the semaphore is locked as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and below the latter when the semaphore is unlocked as indicated in dotted lines in said figure, for a purpose to be presently described.

F represents a spring controlling the bolt E, but, of course, said bolt may be operated by gravity, if desired. This spring is secured in the lock in any desired manner, for example, as by fitting in the top of the bolt E and against the inside of the top wall of the lock E, as shown; or it may be a spring of any other shape, found desirable, and suitably attached in the lock. The function of this spring is, of course, to hold the bolt securely in its locked position in the notch a of the lug a, and thereby prevent the said bolt from being shaken out of the said notch by passing trains or otherwise. Another important function of this spring is to have its tension such that when the semaphore is not locked and the bolt E is not in contact with the lug a, the said spring will cause the lower-edge of the said bolt to occupy the position shown in the dotted line a in Fig. 5, in which position the edge e of the said slot E will occupy the position below the edge e of the key hole likewise shown in dotted lines. In this latter position, as will be observed, the said edge a? partially closes the key hole slot, and

therefore .,edge e to entirely close the key hole slot; In

: addition to the action of the edge 0", just described in the present invention, the top a of said lug is, for the purpose stated below, ex-

tended ,all. the way fromone flat face wall of .the lock to, the other, as best shown in Fig. 6.

,Thelockifits snugly in the slot or recess L in thefllever D, is held thereinby the plate 6 above, the edges of the slot ,p osed relative to the key hole that the key the switch was locked in its main line L t on. While this is an exceedingly vhichalsoconstitutes a water tight cover.

I11 the lock claimed in the prior patent E were so dis- ,could .onlybe inserted, or withdrawn, when posidesirable result,.yet, it has been found that on some of theswitchstands now in use, for example the ,type shown in Figs. 1 and 1 it is desirable to have the key removable when the semaphore is in the side track aswell as when it is in the ma n line position, and therefore the edges of .,sa1d; ,slot E have in this invention been so disposedas to permit this. said priorpatent the top of the lug on which the edge 6? occurs wasshown in Fig. of said Furthermore, in

. patent, as not extending from one wall to the other of,said look, but onthe contrary was .provided with a recess through which the ward of the key might pass. It has been since found thattheward of the key is liable,

when turned the wrong way, to pass through said recess, and become caught between said I lug and the upper portion of said bolt E. To

prevent such accidents the top 6 of said lug is, inthe present invention, made to extend solidly from one wall to the other of said ,1 look, as above stated.

It will be observed that since the lock is water tight, except for the bolt and key hole,

and securely fastened in the recess L, that it is, not possiblefor rain to enter the same except through said key hole. These holes,in pract1ce, are either made too 55.

small to permit su fi icient water to enter to accomplish freezing in cold climates or else they are guarded by; slots. extending around the partially overhanging them.

,any, small quantity of water that enters by 60,,this channel is immediately In all cases,

drained out around the. bolt-E, which extends downwardly as shown.

Furthermore, the bolt E and, extension Effit snugly the interior walls of the lock, and. have the extensive bearings onthe four inside walls, asillustrated. These same, or lips bearings serve to give an easy and certain action. of the bolt under the influence of the key and also to leave practically no space for the collection of water, which might later freeze and render difficult the operation of the lock. The parts being thus made heavy and strong, are capable of being formed by simple castings, which features are both very important in the railroad service, where the locks receive th 'oughest kind of usage and where turned the wron, way the to c of the lu 3 a I D on which the edge e occurs will not permit the key to pass it, but will simply cause the key to raise the bolt.

Of course it is to be understoodthat this look is adapted to be placed on switch stands provided with a plurality of lugs, as wellas on those provided with a simple lug.

Having now described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a safety lock for switch stands, the combination of the main body of the stand having lock engaging means, a part attached to said body adapted to receive a lock, alock in said part adapted to be operated by a key, having a bolt adapted to contact with said lock engaging means and to occupy raised and lowered positions; and means rigidly attached to said bolt adapted to prevent the withdrawal of said key when the bolt is lowered, butv adapted vto permit the withdrawal of saidv keyin all raised positions of said bolt, substantially as described.

2. In a safety lock for a switch stan.d,.the combination with the body of a stand having a lug provided with lock engaging means permanently attached to said stand; a lever permanently attached. to said stand; akey operated lock permanently attached to said lever and having a bolt adapted to be raised and lowered and to engage the said means on. the said lug and means rigidly attached to said bolt whereby said key cannot enter said lock or be withdrawn therefrom when the bolt is lowered, but adapted to permit the withdrawal of said key in all raisedpositions of said bolt, substantially as described.

3. In a safety lock for a switch stand, the combination with the body of a stand provided with a lug having a notchpermanently attached to said stand; a pivoted lever provided with a key operated lock having a bolt adapted to beraised. and lowered, engaging said notch andan extensionrigidly attached to said bolt and provided with a lug extending from one face of the lock to the other and adapted to revent said key from entering said lock or eing withdrawn therefrom when the bolt is lowered, but adapted to permit the withdrawal of said key in all raised positions of said bolt, substantially as described.

4. In a safety lock for a switch stand, the combination with the body of the stand; a lug rigid therewith, and provided with a bolt engaging notch; a lever pivoted to said stand and provided with a recess; a lock E having a key hole secured in said recess on the side of said lever that contacts with or lies near said stand; said lock provided with a key and a bolt E adapted to be raised and lowered and to engage said notch; an extension rigid with said bolt and having a recess provided with an edge 6 adapted to pass over and obstruct the key hole; and a spring for pressing said bolt downward, whereby said edge 6 will prevent the insertion of a key into or its withdrawal from said key hole when the bolt is lowered, but will permit the withdrawal of said key in all raised positions of said bolt, substantially as described.

5. In a safety lock for a switch stand, the combination with the body of a stand provided with a lug having a lock engaging means permanently attached to said stand; a lever permanently attached to said stand; a key operated lock having a casing permanently attached to said lever; a water tight cover for said lock; said look also having a bolt to engage the said means on the said lug; and means provided with a lug rigidly attached to said bolt, ada ted to obstruct the key hole when said bo t is in its lowest position; said bolt and means extending from side to side and contacting with the I four inner walls of said casing to form extended bearings, substantially as described.

6. In a safety lock for a switch stand, the combination with the body. of a stand provided with a lug having a notch; a pivoted lever-provided with a substantially water tight lock adapted to be operated by a key, said lock having a bolt adapted to engage said notch; a spring normally forcing said bolt downward; said bolt provided with an integral extension having a lug extending from one face of the lock to the other provided with an edge e ada ted to move across the key hole of said 100 and said bolt extension and its lug extending across said lock and having bearings against the four inner walls thereof, substantially as described.

7. In a safety lock for a switch stand, the combination with the body of a stand provided with a lug having a notch; a pivoted lever having a recess provided with a lock adapted to be operated by a key and a plate on said lock making the same substantially water tight in said recess, said lock having a sliding bolt ada ted to engage saidnotch; a spring norma y forcing said bolt downward; and said bolt provided with an integral sliding extension having a lug extending from one face of the lock to the other, and adapted to move across the key hole of said look when the bolt is in its extreme downward position, and said bolt and extension extending across said lock and hav ing bearings against the opposite walls thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD FELDER JACOB.

Witnesses:

GRovER TAYLOR, JOHN F. REIMER. 

